Forum Background

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer an isolated technological breakthrough. It has become a systemic force capable of reshaping global industrial systems, economic structures, and even the international order.  Beyond driving innovation and efficiency, AI is now a critical variable influencing national development models, corporate competitiveness, and global governance frameworks.

Within this evolving landscape, Europe and China occupy distinct yet deeply interconnected positions. China—alongside the United States—stands at the forefront of technological innovation and large-scale application, rapidly advancing areas such as large language models, embodied intelligence, and industrial AI.  Europe, leveraging its unique historical heritage and values, has emerged as a driving force in establishing institutional frameworks for AI governance, ethical leadership, and trustworthy AI in a new technological era, exerting a pivotal influence in shaping global AI governance systems and standardised frameworks.

At a time of heightened geopolitical tension and increasing risk of technological fragmentation, EU-China cooperation in AI represents a vital window of opportunity. The two sides demonstrate potential for strategic complementarity: China offers extensive application scenarios, engineering capabilities, and industrial scale, while Europe contributes robust governance systems, trusted technology frameworks, and regulatory expertise.  At this pivotal juncture, EU-China cooperation is imbued with ever greater strategic significance. Through thoughtful collaboration in AI, Europe and China may not only advance technological innovation and industrial upgrading but produce greater stability and predictability into global AI governance.

The implications of such cooperation extend far beyond national strategies. AI is rapidly embedding itself across manufacturing, energy, transportation, finance, healthcare, and urban systems, driving industrial restructuring, organisational transformation, and fundamental shifts in business strategy. For enterprises and entrepreneurs alike, leveraging AI to meaningfully empower industries has become a shared and pressing challenge.

In order to provide a platform for the high-level dialogue needed to establish meaningful cooperation in AI, the CEIBS Europe Forum will take place in both Brussels, the heart of European regulation and governance, and Shanghai, a driving force in China’s innovation ecosystem, focusing on a core question of our era: At this pivotal moment in which artificial intelligence stands on the cusp of profoundly reshaping civilisation, how should Europe and China work together  to innovate and development while safeguarding our shared human values.

The event will bring together political leaders, industry pioneers, technology experts, eminent academics and thought leaders from Europe and China, and provide a platform for in-depth dialogue on global AI trends, strategic choices, and industrial empowerment. Through open and constructive exchange, the Forum aims to build shared governance consensus, explore pathways for industrial development, and advance Europe-China AI cooperation—from conceptual dialogue to structural synergy, and from regulatory consensus to shared industrial value creation—injecting renewed momentum into Europe-China collaboration for the sustainable development of global AI.

Event Details

Date: June 24th (Wednesday), 2026
Venue:
Shanghai: 699 Hongfeng Road, Pudong, Shanghai, P.R.C
Brussels: Rue de la Loi 155 Résidence Palace, International Press Center, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
Organiser: China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)
Supporting Partners: CEIBS AI and Management Innovation (AIMI) Research Center, EU-China Business Association, China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU), Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, ChinaEU

Agenda

* Speakers are subject to change.

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